A national survey of occupational exposures in Tunisia.

Introduction: The evaluation of occupational exposures allows to guide preventive strategies and to suggest adequate solutions.

Aim: Identify occupational exposures and constrains among workers of private sector in Tunisia.

Methods: A descriptive study including all companies of the private sector who are adhering to a service of occupational health of 17 Tunisian governorates. The survey was exhaustive for the services having less than 500 companies and by sampling for the services with more than 500.The data collection was based on data sheet completed by the occupational physician.

Results: This investigation concerned 1653 companies employing 161 517 employees. The industrial sector represented 52.8 %.Small and medium-sized enterprises represented 92.6 % of the studied companies. Companies having a committee of Health and Safety at work represented 16.82 % and 22.14 % had a safety officer. Posturales constraints are the most represented exposures (56%) followed by gestural constraints (27%). Heavy lifting concerned 17% of workers. Exposure to noise represented the third professional nuisance, 23% of employees are exposed. The employees exposed to organic solvents were among 16695 (10.34 %), distributed on 685 companies.

Conclusion: This study allowed us to identify and to rank the professional exposures and constrains in the Tunisian private sector. This could lead to improving targeted strategies of prevention occupational risks.